Legislative Action
By GARY ADKINS

Pay hike, prisons, children and taxes

WHILE a pay raise for state officials got the most attention, the lame duck 80th General Assembly also acted to improve conditions in troubled Illinois prisons, combat child abuse and provide a tax exemption for all homeowners in the state.

The officials' pay increase created an emotional public stir after it was hurried into law November 29 in H.B. 255 (P.A. 80-1470). The bill, which passed the Senate 37-22, and the House 112-57, gave $8,000 raises (40 per cent) to lawmakers. Raises of $8,000 were also approved for constitutional officers, judges, agency directors under the civil administrative code, and directors of the Pollution Control Board, the Property Tax Appeals Board, the State Fair, and four assistant directors in the departments of mines and minerals, public aid and public health. Raises of less than $8,000 were given many deputy directors and various administrators.

Lawmakers also granted themselves a 5-cent boost in their mileage allowance, raising it to 20 cents per mile — the highest allowed any state employees.

Annual salaries now amount to S28.000 for legislators; $58,000 for governor; $45,500 for lieutenant goernor; $50,500 for secretary of state and attorney general; $48,000 for state treasurer, comptroller and auditor general; $58,000 for Supreme Court justices; $53,000 for appellate judges $50,000 for circuit judges, and $45,500 for associate judges. The highest paid cabinet officers, receiving $52,000 annually, include the directors of public aid, public health and mental health and the secretary of transportation.

By early December lawmakers had moved to passage stage in the House bills totalling close to $23 million in supplemental appropriations to improve prisons. The Senate approved 560 S.B. 1878, granting $9.7 million for capital improvements at Pontiac and Stateville prisons, and passed 48-0 S.B. 1881, appropriating $12.6 million to provide a pay raise for guards, the hiring of more guards and the legal fees for prosecuting inmates involved in the July riot at Pontiac.

The Senate approved 50-2, and a House appropriation committee approved S.B. 1884, providing over $5 million for the hiring of 300 new child abuse caseworkers, as requested by the governor.

Illinois homeowners received one new tax break when the legislature agreed with Gov. James R. Thompson's amendatory veto of S.B. 1790, by a vote of 159-1 in the House and 57-0 in the Senate. The new law(P.A. 80-1471) exempts homeowners from paying taxes on up to $1,500 of any increase in assessment on their home. A proposed larger property tax break, H.B. 3279, using rebates of up to $650, was defeated, however, when override attempts failed.

The House concurred 152-16 with a Senate override vote of 50-3 on a gubernatorial veto of S.B. 1419 — thus delaying the effective date of Illinois' consolidation of elections law (P.A. 80- 1469). Once the law becomes effective December 1,1980, Illinois voters will go to the polls only five times every two years.

Meanwhile, Rep. Michael Madigan (D., Chicago) tried unsuccessfully to push H.B. 3422 through the House giving $4.8 million seed money to Chicago for construction of a sports stadium. The bill was passed by the House 108-47, only after amended to earmark the money for a convention center instead of a stadium. The Senate could yet amend the bill back to its original form, but concurrence would then be needed in the House. A companion bill, H.B. 3436, stalled in committee, would allow the city the power to build a stadium, if passed in tandem with the money bill. See the February "Legislative Action" for final details of the fall veto session.

January 1979/Ilinois Issues/29